The Jerome Journal's mission is to collect, save and share information, pictures and documents about the history and families of Jerome, Lincoln Township and the surrounding areas of Appanoose & Wayne counties, Iowa. Everyone is encouraged to share their information, documents and pictures with others via The Jerome Journal. Simply email your material to the Editor at thehawk.bill@gmail.com for posting on The Jerome Journal. Appropriate credit is given to all contributors and sources.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Dugie Moore received word Monday evening of the death of his sister, Mrs. Anna Davis, who passed away following an operation at Grand Island, Nebr. Mrs. Davis and her husband were former residents of Numa and moved to Nebraska where they farmed.

Mrs. Davis had accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Moore to Salt Lake City, Utah, in June where they visited a brother, George Moore.

Mr. and Mrs. John Hickie and son, Melvin, spent the week end with the George Nichols family in Buffalo and with relatives in Davenport. White they were gone from home, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Hickie of Brazil looked after the farm and were guests of Mrs. Lyda Bollman.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mincks, Mary Catharine and Stephen spent the week end with the Billy Mincks family of Cedar Falls.

Mrs. Effie Houx of Cedar Rapids is spending several days with Miss Susie Sidles.

Charles and John Morris spent Sunday with relatives in Madrid. They were accompanied by Jimmy Condra.

The Harvest Home Sunday observed at the Methodist church was well attended and the message given by Roger Crews of the Farm Bureau extension office was enjoyed.

The Loyd Hickie family of Promise City and the George Sidles family spent Sunday with Mrs. Lyda Hickie.

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Allen of Iconium spent Sunday with the John Ponsettos.

Jim and Pete Sidles of Iowa State College, Ames, will spend the Thanksgiving holidays at home. Also Miss Colleen Hefner of Des Moines will be home for Thanksgiving and the remainder of the week.

Guy Goughnour of Allerton was a business caller in Jerome Wednesday.

J. W. Workman is convalescing at home after a short time in the St. Joseph's hospital.

Rev. M. R. Gonzales' nephew and family of Philadelphia came Friday to spend a few days with them and soon after they arrived the nephew became ill with asthma and was taken to the St. Joseph's hospital in Centerville for oxygen treatments.

The women of the W.S.C.S. have already begun preparation for the Thanksgiving dinner to be held at the school auditorium Thanksgiving day.

This is a general greeting to a certain dark-haired damsel--and very appropriate, too, because she's only 5 feet 1 inch tall. She has dark brown shining eyes that add to her high personality rating. Her incomparable smile has dimples on both sides. She has a very small build and she weights only 100 pounds.

She is a member of the girl's basketball traveling squad, which is also her favorite sport. She also plays a bigt part in the glee club in which she sings second soprano.

Some of her favorites are: song--"You Belong to Me," season--spring, and food--pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream.

Harold Hart visited his sister, Mrs. W. R. Hefner, the first of the week. He was enroute from Chicago, where he has been employed for several years, to Whittier, Calif., where he will move with his family. He will have employment there.

Mrs. I. E. Fry has received word that her sister, Mrs. Sylvia Hullett, of Omaha had been severely burned in an accident and was in critical condition.

MYF will meet at the church Wednesday evening.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sidles and Mrs. Janice Sidles of Seymour spent Sunday with the Howard Sidles family in Ames and with Pet and Jim, who attend school there.

Howard Sidles will soon go to Oak Ridge, Tenn., for two weeks training in the Naval Reserve. He will be accompanied by his family, who will spend time with her parents in Raleigh, N.C.

Billy Fry, who returned from service in Germany two weeks ago, was married Saturday, Nov. 15, at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. I. E. Fry.

The bride was Miss Geneva Stevens, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry [Elmer] Stevens of Centerville. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. M. R. Gonzalez in the presence of the immediate family, Mr. and Mrs. I. E. Fry and son, Jackie, of Bettendorf; the bride's mother, Mrs. Ada Stevens of Centerville; Mrs. M. R. Gonzales and Portia; Mrs. Anna Snodgrass; Mrs. Mae Manda and Miss Mary Scott.

Best man was Jackie Fry and the bridesmaid was Miss Shirley Coatney of Centerville.

Mrs. Fry served refreshments of sandwiches, ice cream and coffee with the wedding cake.

The community gave a shower for them Monday night in the school auditorium with Mrs. Marshall Moore and Mrs. I. E. Fry as hostesses. They were assisted by Mrs. John Ponsetto.

Harvest Home Sunday will be observed at the Methodist church Sunday, Nov. 23, in connection with layman's day. Mrs. Charley McGavran, lay leader, will be in charge.

Guest speaker will be Roger Crews, field man for the Appanoose county extension program.

There will be special music and other features in connection with the services at the regular preaching hour, 10 o'clock, followed by Sunday school.

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred McWilliams of Aredale visited Mrs. McWilliams' daughter, Mrs. Paul Felkner, and family during the week end.

Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Stark spent Sunday in Centerville at the home of his niece, Mrs. June Olson. It was a gathering of relatives as a farewell to Stark's sister, Mrs. D. F. Harris, who has spent the summer in Iowa and will soon return to her home in Boonsboro, Md.

Miss Vera Scott is home from St. Joseph's hospital where she recently underwent an appendectomy. She is recovering satisfactorily.

Billy Fry, who returned from U.S. service in Germany Sunday, accompanied Jackie Fry to Bettendorf Tuesday. He hope to be employed there.

The house formerly belonging to W. E. Hawkins and sold to H. L. Stark was moved by the Glen Johnson moving company Tuesday to the Stark farm. It will replace the home burned seveal months ago. They moved into it at once.

Mrs. Clyde Elgin, teacdher of the older grades, was absent from school all day Wednesday because of illness. Since there was no substitute teacher, the room was dismissed.

The women of the Methodist church did well with their lunch election day and cleared $60. THey will serve the E. E. Heaton sale Thursday, Nov. 13.

Mrs. Bert F. Murphy, teacher of the primary grades, attended the state teachers convention in Des Moines Thursday, Friday and Saturday. While there she was a guest of her cousins, the John Burns family. She was accompanied to Des Moines by Mrs. Merrill Condra of the South Wilson school.

Loyd Crouch of the Simpson community and Miss Ethel Stoner of Seymour were in the community Thursday looking after the erecting of monuments in the cemetery.

Quite a number of the neighbors west of town attended a charm party at Mrs. Leonard Wilson's Friday afternoon.

Arthur Cathcart of Moline, Ill.m, is spending several days with his sister and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Strawser. Sunday they spent the day at the Harry Johnson home in Centerville.

Mrs. Stella Dooley went to Davenport Sunday to spend some time with her children. She accompanied the Reuben Dooley family home. They had spent the week end here.

Mr. and Mrs. Andy Van Blaricom and children spent the long week end with the daughter in Des Moines.

Mr. and Mrs. William Cathcart of Elmira, Mo., spent the week end of Nov. 2 with the Roy Strawsers here.

W.S.C.S. will hold its next all-day meeting Nov. 20 since Thanksgiving comes on the regular day. The hostesses will be Mrs. J. W. Workman and Mrs. Ray Parks. Mrs. Peter Sidles will have charge of the devotional period.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Felkner of East Moline, Ill., spent the week end at the parental Gail Felkner home.

The Charley Day family of Madrid spent Sunday at the J. G. Morris home.

Miss Patty Murphy of Davenport spent the week end at home.

Dr. and Mrs. George E. Rinker of Oto returned home Thursday after spending several days with Miss Susie Sidles and other relatives.

The W.S.C.S. will serve lunch at the school house election day. The committee in charge includes Mrs. Richard Mincks, Mrs. James Felkner and Mrs. A. R. Blozivich.

The annual Thanksgiving dinner will be at the school house. The committee will be Mrs. W. R. Hefner, Mrs. Joe Beer, and Mrs. Gail Felkner. The price will be $1.00 for the dinner.

Mr. and Mrs. I. E. Fry returned Saturday from Canton, Ill., where they spent several weeks with their daughter, Mrs. Lester Hill, who has been ill but is recovering.

Mrs. Anna Snodgrass has been confined to her home several days with arthritis. Her daughter, Mrs. Ethel Gibson, of Chariton, is with her.

The school had a party Halloween and lots of youngsters were out for tricks and treats in the evening.

Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Hefner spent the long week end with Loran Hart and Mrs. Wayne Montgomery in Gary, Ind., and Harold Hart and family in Chicago, Ill.

The family night supper that is always held the first Monday night in the month will not be held in November because of the many other activities, but will be as usual the first Monday night in December, which is Dec. 1. Mrs. John Cathcart will be the guest speaker.

Billy Fry, who has been in the army the past four years and for many months in Germany, returned to his home Sunday.

Mr.and Mrs. Edward Matelski and daughter of Davenport spent the week end with her mother, Mrs. Earl Fry.

Mr. and Mrs. Lester King of Davenport spent the week end at their home here.

Mrs. John Cathcart was the guest speaker at the county Ladies Aid meeting at Brushy college north of Plano last week.

The W.S.C.S. will have the all-day cooperative dinner meeting Thursday. The hostesses are Mrs. Peter Sidles and Mrs. James Hileman. The devotional period will be in charge of Mrs. Paul Felkner and the lesson will be given by Mrs. W. R. Hefner.

The teachers were hostesses to the mothers Friday afternoon. They visited the class rooms and later Mrs. John Cathcart, Mrs. K. E. Owen, Mrs. William Clark and Mrs. Marshall Moore served refreshments. Paul Turner of Centerville was out and played the records he ad taken at the Halloween program.

The George Jones family of Davenport spent Sunday at the parental Carl Hamm home.

Mr. and Mrs. George Sidles and children and Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sidles spent Sunday in Des Moines at the Rev. Roy H. Mills home. THey were accompanied by Mrs. Janice Sidles of Seymour.

Mrs. Gail Felkner accompanied her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Junior Cary, of Moline to Ft. Smith, Ark., where they will spend a week at the Gail Felkner, Jr., home.

Mrs. Chester Jarnigan and two sons of Des Moines visited several days at the parental James Felkner home.

Mr. and Mrs. Edd Bell of Maxwell were Sunday callers at the C. E. Ervin home.

Mr. and Mrs. Gail Felkner and Dickie spent last week end in East Moline, Ill., with their daughter, Mrs. Junior Cary, and family and with their son, Robert Felkner, and family.

The school gave a nice program Friday evening. It was on the Halloween theme and the constumes and numbers were very interesting. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Turner of Centerville and their assistant, Miss Beverley Fenton, made recordings that will be sold to any parents who want them.

After the program they sold pie, candy and coffee. There was a large attendance.

There was a line call Saturday and the neighbors all assisted Adrian Davis put out a grass fire. It had extended into the corn but did little damage.

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Owen of Fort Wayne, Ind., spent the week end at the parental Bert Murphy home and Donald assisted K. E. Owen to install television.

Mr. and Mrs. Gail Felkner, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mincks and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ervin each took a load of young people to Oskaloosa Sunday evening to attend a district youth fellowship rally.

Leonard Ponsetto of Chicago spent the week end at the parental Joe Ponsetto home. He was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Doyle Gates.

The Dolly Ramsy family moved to Numa Saturday. Ivan will enter the Numa school.

The Paul Van Blaricon family closed their home here and have gone to Ottumwa where he is employed for the winter.

Mrs. Yonovich and son, Tony, returned the first of the week from Sioux City where they had spent a week with the William Yonovich family. It will be remembered the family spent several months here while he was in Korea. He is now stationed in Sioux City and the family is residing at 1719 River Drive Blvd.

Mr. and Mrs. Mervin Burkett and sons of Des Moines spent Sunday at the W. R. and William Hefner homes.

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[Crowded Out Last Week]

Mrs. Wayne Montgomery and son, Lyndel, spent the week end with the Joe Beer family. Sunday Mrs. Beer accompanied them home for an extended visit.

There was a large attendance at the farm sale of Mrs. Earl Fry Friday. The W.S.C.S. served lunch and cleared $50. Mrs. Fry will remain on the farm for the present. Her daughter, Mrs. Edward Matilski, continues to be with her. The son, Oscar, has returned to his home in Houston, Texas.

The Seymour fire department answered a call to the John Scott home last Wednesday. The fire was put out but the interior of the house was damaged extensively.

Mr. and Mrs. James Felkner spent the week end of Oct. 5 with their daughter and family, the Chester Jarnigans, in Des Moines. Sunday they attended Sunday school at the First Methodist church where Jack Shelley was the teacher. They enjoyed the class very much.

The George Jones family of Davenport spent the week end at the parental Carl Hamm home.

The youth fellowship will meet Wednesday evening with Dickie Felkner as teacher.

Miss Susie Sidles is attending the W.S.C.S. North Central Jurisdiction Conference at First Church in Des Moines this week, and is staying with Mrs. J. H. Krenmyre of Woodward.

Earl Fry passed away at the St. Joseph's hospital in Centerville last Friday and funeral services were held Sunday at the Miller-Wehrle funeral home in Centerville. Burial was in the Felkner cemetery. Their son, Oscar, from Houston, Texas, and their daughter, Mrs. Bettie Matilski, and family of Davenport have been here several days and will be with Mrs. Fry, the former Inez Workman, for some time.

Mr. and Mrs. Charley McGavran left Tuesday for a trip in the western states and to visit relatives in Denver, Colo., and Boise, Idaho.

Mervin Burkett of Des Moines spent from Sunday until Friday at the William Hefner and W. R. Hefner homes. Friday he returned home. Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Hefner took him to Des Moines and spent the day there. Miss Colleen Hefner returned home with them for the weekend.

Mr. and Mrs. Warren Streiff and three children of Ohio have spent the past week at the parental Peter Sidles home. They will spend the next few days with the Harry Streiffs in Centerville.

Mr. and Mrs. James Fox and five children and Jackie Fry of Bettendorf and Mr. and Mrs. Lester Hill and children of Canton, Ill., spent the weekend at the I. E. Fry home. They were honoring Mrs. Fry on her birthday. All went to the park in Centerville Sunday for a picnic.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sidles attended the Master Farmers yearly meeting and dinner Sunday at Ames. They were accompanied by their sons, Jim and Pete, who are again enrolled in Iowa State College for their junior year.

Mr. and Mrs. Bert Murphy went to Ames Sunday to take their son, Bert, who will enter Iowa State College for his first year.

Miss Mary Hawkins, formerly of Jerome and now of Davenport, also entered college at Ames for her freshman year.

Mr. and Mrs. Ervin McGavran of Seymour are staying at the Charley McGavran home while they are away.

The first meeting of the new year of the W.S.C.S. will be a cooperative dinner, Sept. 25, with Mrs. Forest Workman and Mrs. Scott McDonald as hostesses. Mrs. J. W. Workman will conduct the devotionals and Mrs. Delbert Foster will have the program.

Kenneth Owen and Miss Dorothy Owen returned Sunday from a weeks fishing trip at the lakes in Minnesota. Mrs. Owen and daughter, Diana, also returned home from Davenport where they had been visiting relatives.

Friends here where Mrs. Loyd Crouch was raised are very sorry to hear of her death.

Maxine Tharp, age 81, of Unionville, MO died on Saturday, November 27, 1999 at the Mercy Medical Center in Centerville, IA. She was born the daughter of Melvin and Bertha Gail (Hixenbaugh) Printy on February 23, 1918 in Walnut City, IA. She graduated from the Plano Community Schools.

Maxine was united in marriage on November 7, 1936 at Centerville, Iowa to Burdett Tharp. She was a homemaker. Maxine was a member of the Mt. Herman United Methodist Church near Unionville, MO, where she was a Sunday School Superintendent.

Surviving family members are: husband, Burdett Tharp of Unionville, MO; son, Paul and his wife, Helen Tharp of Shawnee, KS; daughters, Gail and her husband, Ivan Wray of Numa, Iowa, Sharon and her husband, Jim Burns of Exline, Iowa and Margaret Stottlemyre of Unionville, MO; sisters, Margaret Hartman of Athens, GA; Bernice King of Chariton, Iowa and Anna Swan of Promise City, Iowa; brothers, Emmett Printy of Mesa, AZ; Lewis Printy of Melrose, Iowa and Robert Printy of Maple Plain, MN; 14 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 1, 1999 at 1:30 pm at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Centerville, IA, with the Rev. Harley Kennedy officiating. Burial will follow in the Jerome Cemetery in Jerome, IA.

Visitation was held from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm Tuesday, November 30, 1999 at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Centerville, IA. The family received friends between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm.

Memorial contributions may be given to First Responders Building Fund and left at or mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Homes, 501 North 18th Street, Centerville, IA 52544.

Burdett Otto Tharp, age 86, of Unionville, MO, died Thursday, April 11, 2002 at the Kirksville Manor Care Center in Kirksville, MO. He was born on July 29, 1915 in Numa, Iowa, the son of Harry and Anna Mae (Ewurs) Tharp. He received his education in Numa Community Schools.

Burdett was united in marriage to Maxine Printy on November 7, 1936 in Centerville, Iowa. He worked in the coal mines and was a farmer. He was baptized at the North Bend Christian Church and attended the Mt. Hermon Methodist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Maxine Tharp on November 27, 1999, one daughter in infancy; one brother, Paul Tharp and one sister, Bessie Hixenbaugh.

Funeral services were held on Monday, April 15, 2002 at 10:30 a.m. at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Centerville, IA with Rev. Robert Peck of Grace Tabernacle Baptist Church officiating. Burial followed at the Jerome Cemetery in Jerome, Iowa.

Visitation was held on Sunday, April 14, 2002 from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Centerville, IA with the family present from 6:00 p.m. until 8 p.m. Sunday evening.

Memorial can be made to the Griffensville Historical Marker and left at or mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home, 501 N. 18th St., Centerville, Iowa 52544.

Biographical and Historical Record of Wayne and Appanoose Counties, Iowa: Containing...a condensed history of the state of Iowa; portraits and biographies of the governors of the territory and state; engravings of prominent citizens in Wayne and Appanoose counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of Wayne and Appanoose counties... [Chicago, IL: Inter-state Publishing Co., 1886] Online @ Internet Archive

Ellis, Christine [Katherine Hyndman]. "People Who Cannot Be Bought," Rank and File - Personal Histories by Working Class Organizers, edited by Alice Lynd and Staughton Lynd [New York: Monthly Review Press,1988], pp. 1-25. Christine Ellis writes about immigrating from Croatia to the USA and living in Jerome and Rathbun, Iowa, as a youth.

Heusinkveld, Willis M. 101 Historical Sketches of Pioneer Days in Appanoose County: Written for the Centerville Iowegian from July 2002 to July 2004 [Centerville, IA: Willis M. Heusinkveld, 2004] 100 pages

Heusinkveld, Willis M. A History of Centerville, Iowa From Its Earliest Beginnings Throughout the Years [Centerville, IA: Willis M. Heusinkveld, 2009] 132 pages

Johnson, M. Ruth, Compiler. Appanoose County, Iowa: Postoffices and Postmasters From 1846 to 1988 [Centerville, IA: Privately Printed, 1988] Microfilm and Other Research by Milo R. Murphy; Information taken from official records and believed to be correct. 30 pages.

The History of Appanoose County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c., A Biographical Directory of Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of the Northwest, History of Iowa, Map of Appanoose County, Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters, &c. [Chicago, IL: Western Historical Co., 1878] 624 pages. Online @ Google Book Project; Online @ Internet Archive

Worth, Goldie, Compiler. The History of Medicine in Appanoose County [Presented to Appanoose County Medical Society, November 1962] With Supplemental Material Including Index and Pictures of Doctors by W. M. Heusinkveld in October 2009.